Gecarcinus (jekarsinus)

[NL. (Leach, 1815), Geccoides (ge-koi'dēz), n. pl. [NL., also Geckoi family of saurian squamate reptiles, composed stellions, and agamoid lizards. Oppel, 1811. gecconid (gek'ō-nid), n. A lizard of the family Gecconida. Also geckonid. Gecconidæ (ge-kon'i-dē), -ida.] A family of lizards, of the or der Lacer til i a; the geckos or wall-lizards. They have amphicælous vertebræ, distinct parietal bones, no postorbital or frontosquamosal arches, dilated clavicles loop-shaped proximally, a short, thick, fleshy, papillose tongue, large eyes with vertical elliptical pupils and rudimentary lids, and pleurodont dentition. The body is covered below with small imbricated scales; the tail is normally long and tapering; and the limbs are stout and of moderate length, with well-developed toes and claws, usually furnished with adhesive disks, secreting an acrid though not poisonous fluid. Upward of 200 species inhabit the warmer parts of both hemispheres; many were formerly placed indiscriminately in a genus Gecco or Gecko; but about 50 genera have been named, among which are Diplodactylus, Hem i dactylus, Phyllo dactylus, Platydacty lus, Ptyodactylus, Sphærodactylus, Steno dactylus, Theca dactylus, Phyllurus, and Ptychozoon. They are all inoffensive lizards of small size, from 2 or 3 to 12 or 14 inches long, of active carnivorous habits, and specially noted for the agility with which they scramble over walls, etc. Many of them make a croaking or chirping noise, whence the name gecko. A few are found in the south of Europe, as the common wall-lizard, Platy dactylus mural is; the tarente, P. mauritanicus; and the Hem i dactylus verrucu lat us and Steno dactylus guttatus. A common species of the Labuan region is the chick chack, Ptyodactylus gecko. One small gecko, Sphærodactylus not at us, occurs in Florida and Cuba. Two Lower Californian species are Phyl lodactylus xanti and Diplodactylus unctus. The Gecco nidæ have also been called A scala bota and Nyctisaura. The name of the family is variously written Gekkonidæ, Geckonidæ, Geccotidæ, Geckotidæ, Gecotidæ. See cut under gecko. gecconoid (gek'ō-noid), a. and n. I. a. Re IMG:content-2171.jpg:[blocks in formation] + -inæ.] A subfamily of Picida, of which the genus Gecinus is a typical representative; the green woodpeckers. Other leading genera are Camp ether a, Celeus, Chrysoptilus, Brachypter nus, and Tiga.